All programs created by Matrix have been designed for the Windows OS. Previously, the only way Mac people could use our programs was by employing a Windows emulation program, such as Virtual PC or Soft Windows. These still work, howeverâ€”

Apple has now begun using the Intel chips that allows you to run both the Mac OS and Windows on one computer. We recently purchased an iMac for our testing department, installed Windows XP, and all of our software. It all runs just like it does on any Windows PC.

Any new Mac you purchase comes with an Intel chip — so all you have to do is download the free Bootcamp software offered by Apple, then install Windows on the new partition. When you boot up your computer, you will choose which OS you want to use for that session.

For Mac-native programs, Matrix has arranged to offer the very best from our friends at TimeCycles Research. Our extensive research (and the recommendations of our in-house Mac people) has confirmed the quality of this software and the user support offered by TimeCycles. Please click here for more information on astrology programs designed specifically for Macs.

Most orders ship same day during the regular business week. Standard domestic shipping is First Class Mail on orders under $100.00; allow 5 to 7 business days for delivery. For orders $100.00 and over, our standard domestic shipping is Federal Express 2-Day. Overnight service is available for domestic orders, but is not guaranteed for Alaska and Hawaii, or during severe weather events such as hurricanes or blizzards.

International Orders: International Express Mail is available to most countries  allow 7 to 14 business days for delivery. Federal Express International is also available, allow 3 to 5 days for delivery.

Unopened packages may be returned for exchange or refund within 30 days of the purchase date. In the case of downloads, non-activated downloads may be returned for exchange or refund within 30 days of the purchase date.

Please note the compatibility requirements before purchasing any software — i.e., Windows vs. Mac, etc. Compatibility requirements can be found on the individual product pages.

All returns must be labeled with a valid Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number, which can be obtained from the Sales Department. Packages returned to us without a valid RMA will not be accepted. We do not accept unauthorized returns and all returns will be subject to a 20% restocking fee. This fee may be waived at our discretion. In the case of downloads, once the software has been activated the purchase price will not be refunded without our consent. (Less the 20% open box fee.)

To be removed, please contact us by phone, mail, or e-mail. For paper catalogs, we will need to know your name and the address where you receive them.

For e-mails, please let us know the e-mail address and the type of e-mail you wish to stop receiving (general sales, Daily Specials, etc.). If your e-mail is forwarded to another account, we must know the actual account where it is sent.

After we find the correct address, we will remove it by the next business day. In the case of catalogs, you may still receive one or two more that have already been sent through our shipping system.

If you have already purchased the software, please contact us via phone or e-mail to tell us about the transfer of ownership.

If you are placing a new order on the web, please include the recipientâ€”s contact information in the â€”Order Notesâ€” section of the order form.
We can be reached by phone at 1-800-752-6387 (Int'l callers: 1-352-373-1504), by e-mail at order@astrosoftware.com, or by using the Contact Us form on our website.

Win*Writer is the name of our series of personalized astrological reports. It is also the name of the program used to create the reports.

Each report is purchased separately, and can be accessed within the Win*Writer program. If multiple reports are installed on the same computer, they can be accessed through the same Win*Writer program. A copy of the Win*Writer program is included as part of each report writer purchase.

For most Win*Writer reports, we offer a Professional (commercial) version and an Express Personal version. To see the differences between the Professional and Express versions, please click here.

Free updates to Matrix Software programs are often available via free download links. If you do not have a fast Internet connection, you can order the updated replacement CDs by phone at a cost of $25 each.

If your software is old enough to require an upgrade, that information is available through our Sales Department.

For questions on free updates or to purchase an upgrade please call us at 1-800-752-6387 (Int'l callers: 352-373-1504), e-mail us at order@astrosoftware.com, or use the Contact Us form on our website.

All Matrix Software programs purchased after September 2007 are compatible with Windows Vista and Windows 7 as well as the new Win*Star 4.0. This does not apply to the Io Series for Mac.

If your software was purchased before September 2007, it will not work properly with Windows Vista or Wiondows 7. You must update or upgrade it in order to make it Vista-7-compatible.

Important Information about Win*Star Plus 2.05:
With Win*Star Plus 2.05, it is also important to know which version of Vista you have. Win*Star Plus 2.05 will work with the 32-bit version of Vista, but it will not work with the 64-bit version of Vista or Windows 7.

To find out which version of Vista you have, start up your computer and look at the desktop. There is an icon called "Computer." Right-click on this icon and then left-click on "Properties." A new window will appear with information about your operating system. You should see the words "32-bit" or "64-bit"; this will tell you which version you have.

If you find that you have the 64-bit version of Vista or if you have Windows 7, Win*Star Plus 2.05 will not work on your computer. You may continue to use your existing version of Win*Star 2.05 on a different operating system, or upgrade to Win*Star 4.0.

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For specific questions about upgrades and updates for Vista/7, please call us at 1-800-752-6387 (Int'l callers: 1-352-373-1504), e-mail us at order@astrosoftware.com, or use the Contact Us form on our website.

In some cases, we offer free updates via the Internet; be sure to let us know if you have high-speed Internet.

Yes! If you upgrade from Express to Professional, you are trading your rights to the Express version for a discount on the Professional version. The exception is Win*Star Express. If you upgrade from Win*Star Express to Win*Star Plus, you may continue to use your Win*Star Express program.

To upgrade from an Express program to a Professional program, you will receive a discount off the Full Price of the Professional program. Your discount is equal to what you originally paid for the Express program. For example, if you bought Astro*Talk Express for $99.95, your discount would be $99.95.

Occasionally, we will offer further discounts on upgrades. These will be advertised in our sale catalogs, at our website, or in special e-mail-only sale notices. Weâ€”re sorry, but there are no extensions for these special sales.

Upgrade orders must be placed by phone, fax, or mail, as we do not currently offer upgrades at our website. All prices are subject to change.

Note: If the setup process does not begin after a minute, you may need to do it yourself. In this case, open the "My Computer"/"Computer" icon on your desktop and locate the icon for your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive. Right-click on that icon, and choose "AutoPlay." Depending on your computer, it may also say "Run," "Execute," or "Setup." This should begin the setup process.

If you are using Windows Vista or 7, you may be asked to "Allow" the program, or to "Run Setup." Please do this if asked.

Follow the prompts to complete your installation.

Note: In the case of Win*Writer, you must choose your programs from a list to install them, then click Next.

You must activate each of your programs using your Customer Number (found on your invoice). Please click here for activation instructions.

If you have requested a downloadable Demo, you will receive an e-mail with one or more links.

To download the program or demo, just click on the link. A small window should appear, asking you to Save, Run, or Cancel. Please choose "Save" to save the setup file to your computer.

After a few moments, you should see a progress bar that shows the time remaining. After the download is completed, you will be prompted to Open or Run the setup file. Do this, then follow the steps on your screen to complete the installation.

When downloading large files, it is best to download only one or two files at once. Doing more than this might slow down your connection, or could result in the files not working properly.

If you have ordered software as a download, you will receive an e-mail with one or more links.

To download the program or demo, just click on the link. A small window should appear, asking you to Save, Run, or Cancel. Please choose "Save" to save the setup file to your computer.

After a few moments, you should see a progress bar that shows the time remaining. After the download is completed, you will be prompted to Open or Run the setup file. Do this, then follow the steps on your screen to complete the installation.

If this is a new installation, you must activate your software. Please see below for instructions.

When downloading large files, it is best to download only one or two files at once. Doing more than this might slow down your connection, or could result in the files not working properly.

At the end of the installation process, you will be asked to activate your program. First, you should enter the customer number (this can be found on your Invoice, or by contacting us). If the computer is connected to the Internet, you can choose "Internet Activation" and activate it automatically.

If the Internet Activation does not work (it should take no more than three to five minutes), please choose "Alternate Activation"/"Phone Activation." It will show you a "Computer ID #"/"Serial Number [KEY]" in a yellow box; please contact us with that number, and we will use it to create your password.

Each computer has its own unique "Computer ID #"/"Serial Number [KEY]." If you tell us the number, we can use it to create all of your passwords for that computer.

If you are installing from a download link:

At the end of the installation process, you will be asked to activate your program. First, you should enter the order number (this can be found in the same e-mail as your download link). If the computer is still connected to the Internet, you can choose "Internet Activation" and activate it automatically.

If the Internet Activation does not work (it should take no more than three to five minutes), please choose "Alternate Activation"/"Phone Activation." It will show you a "Computer ID #"/"Serial Number [KEY]" in a yellow box; please contact us with that number, and we will use it to create your password.

Each computer has its own unique "Computer ID #"/"Serial Number [KEY]." If you tell us the number, we can use it to create all of your passwords for that computer.

Depending on the version, we may be able to send you free replacement downloads for your software. We maintain only the current shipping version. If you do not have a fast Internet connection, you can order the updated replacement CDs by phone at a cost of $25 each plus shipping.

If your software is old enough to require an upgrade, that information is available through our Sales Department. We do not stock older versions of our software.

To ask about replacements or upgrades, please call us at 1-800-752-6387 (Int'l callers: 1-352-373-1504), e-mail us at order@astrosoftware.com, or use the Contact Us form on our website.

To find the version number for your program, just open the program and click on "Help," then "About." A new window will appear with your version number and our contact information. As a rule, higher numbers indicate newer versions.

You can back up your downloads by saving the setup file and burning that file to a CD-ROM; you can also copy the setup file to a USB flash drive or a portable hard drive. For instructions on how to back up your chart data, please click here.

Some e-mail users find that their accounts will de-activate links or remove them entirely from e-mails, as a security measure. First, please make sure that you have added this address to your contact list or address book:

order@astrosoftware.com

Next, check at the top or sides of the e-mail you received. Look for a button that says something like â€”Unblockâ€” or â€”Show Contentâ€” or â€”Not Junkâ€” or â€”Not Spam.â€” If you see such a button, click on it to approve the e-mail.

If you find that you still have difficulties, please call us at 1-800-752-6387 (Int'l callers: 1-352-373-1504), e-mail us at order@astrosoftware.com, or use the Contact Us form on our website.

We use an automatic e-mail program to send download links, Registered User Area login info, and notices about upcoming sales. Some e-mail users find that their accounts will flag this type of e-mail as "Spam" or "Junk" Mail. Others find that their accounts will just delete the e-mail without notifying them.

To make sure that you can receive e-mails from us, please add these addresses to the contact list or address book in your e-mail program:

Access to the Registered User Area of our website requires verification of ownership. Once that has been done, you will be e-mailed the personal ID and Password that gives you access to this area. Once registered, you will be able to update your data from within the Registered User Area should it change in the future. For your security we do not provide access to your data via the web. Changes to your customer data will therefore be made on the next business day. You may also call us at 1-800-752-6387 (Int'l callers: 1-352-373-1504), e-mail us at order@astrosoftware.com, or use the Contact Us form on our website with any changes.

Matrix maintains our own secure servers and uses state of the art encryption and credit card processing for all orders. To further assure your security we do not retain credit card information on any orders placed at our website.

No personal information is gathered by Matrix or any other source without your knowledge and consent. The Registered User Area of the Matrix website gives users the option of employing a cookie to eliminate the need to re-enter access information each time you visit. If you are visiting from the website of one of Matrix Softwareâ€”s affiliate partners we identify that source should you decide to make a purchase. No information is gathered without your consent. Any information you provide is confidential and is not shared or sold.

The information you provide to Matrix through our secure website is confidential. This information is used to process your request or order. Credit card information is encrypted and not retained in our files after processing your order. No customer information is sold, rented, or shared with outside companies.